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Carolina Hurricanes: Where Will the Motivation Come From?

By Austin Blum

RALEIGH, NC - FEBRUARY 15: Warren Foegele #13 of the Carolina Hurricanes celebrates during the team Storm Surge following a victory over the Edmonton Oilers during an NHL game on February 15, 2019 at PSNC Arena in Raleigh, North Carolina. (Photo by Gregg Forwerck/NHLI via Getty Images)
RALEIGH, NC - FEBRUARY 15: Warren Foegele #13 of the Carolina Hurricanes celebrates during the team Storm Surge following a victory over the Edmonton Oilers during an NHL game on February 15, 2019 at PSNC Arena in Raleigh, North Carolina. (Photo by Gregg Forwerck/NHLI via Getty Images) /
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RALEIGH, NC – MAY 14: Fans of the Carolina Hurricanes celebrate in Game Three of the Eastern Conference Third Round against the Boston Bruins during the 2019 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs on May 14, 2019 at PNC Arena in Raleigh, North Carolina. (Photo by Gregg Forwerck/NHLI via Getty Images)
RALEIGH, NC – MAY 14: Fans of the Carolina Hurricanes celebrate in Game Three of the Eastern Conference Third Round against the Boston Bruins during the 2019 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs on May 14, 2019 at PNC Arena in Raleigh, North Carolina. (Photo by Gregg Forwerck/NHLI via Getty Images) /

3. The Fanbase

The Hurricanes fanbase was an absolute force last year. It was shown mostly during the first two rounds of the playoffs when the fans were out in waves to witness the special season the team was putting together. It is worth noting that at the end of game four of the Eastern Conference Finals, the fans showed their appreciation to the team.

The players took notice of the fanbase, mentioning them more and more as the fanbase kept coming back. This was the first time in a while that the team and the fanbase were this close each other. They each shared their criticisms and broke through last season.

The Hurricanes players fed off of the rambunctious crowds that were filing into PNC Arena to see playoff hockey for the first time in a long time. The fans despite breaking records for hockey attendance in PNC Arena and drastically improving the team’s overall attendance over the course of the season, still face criticism over the lack of attendance early in the season and in seasons prior.

The fans use this criticism as motivation of their own and the players feel motivated from a distinct home ice advantage. The Hurricanes haven’t had this luxury in quite some time as a decline in success led to the attendance decline. With the future looking as bright as ever the fans are once again excited to support this team.

And yes, this is fine because struggling teams experience attendance problems all of the time. The Hurricanes are not the only example of this, and every franchise goes through its rough patches, but sustained success, which the Hurricanes are primed for could really help the organization. Also, the Hurricanes have generated more than $5 million in new season ticket memberships, which means that the fans believe in this team.

What really shows that the Hurricanes thrive on home ice is their record at PNC Arena. The Hurricanes record was 24-13-4 in PNC Arena during the regular season and went 5-2 during the playoffs.

This team is hungry for more and players are notorious for finding little things to help push them. Motivation is key and members of the Hurricanes should have plenty.

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Question for CC Readers: Which factor will be the biggest influence on motivating the Carolina Hurricanes?

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